Many home networks employ IP firewalls implemented using PCs running a web-interface based firewall application on a Linux Operating System (OS) or other known approaches. The firewall may lie between the home LAN and the service provider, and the firewall may be configured manually by home network administrators. There is a need to eliminate the firewall appliance in the home network. There also exists a need to simplify the configuration of the firewall, by using the same protocol to communicate access control policy from the home network to existing firewalls.